Preemasonry Abroad.

of that auspicious event . We take the greatest pleasure in reading of these efforts , and we trust that not many years will have elapsed before some such Charitable Institution has been founded by every Grand Lodge in the United States , not only

for the sake of the benefits they will confer on those brethren whom misfortune has overtaken , but also in a very minor degree because it will lighten the anxiety which is felt in many parts of the country in respect of the non-affiliate , who , if we

may judge from some of the speeches which a' -e every now and then delivered about him , has been having a rather warm time of it for some years . Moreover , when the thoughts of the brethren are directed to this channel they will be less likely to concern

themselves about the question , whether what is given in Charity to a poor brother or his belongings should be . recouped by the lodge of which he was , or had once been , a member . In short , this and other matters of primary importance will so absorb

their time and so abstract their attention from the petty formalities of Masonry , that they will be unable to give a thought to the non-affiliate , to the doctrine of perpetual jurisdiction , and such like matters . In the meantime , let us congratulate our

American brethren of the United States on the splendid progress they have made in strengthening and extending the bases of the Craft , and let us hope that that progress maybe continued indefinitely and with an ever-increasing tendency towards a greater and still greater condition of prosperity .

Masonic Clothing And Regalia.*

MASONIC CLOTHING AND REGALIA . *

In our Note of last week , in which we acknowledged the receipt of this handsome book , we referred to it as a valuable and comprehensive work , from the number of plates with accompanying letterpress descriptions of the Clothing and Jewels by Grand

Officers , Prov . or Dist . Grand Officers , and officers and members of private lodges in England , Ireland , and Scotland , respectively , as well as in the jurisdictions of the different Continental Grand Lodges and Grand Orients . Welikewisespokeintermsof

just commendation of the exceeding accuracy and completeness of the information which Bro . CROWE , after infinite pains and labour , has succeeded in bringing together and arranging methodically so that the reader has no difficulty in satisfying himself as to the

legitimacy and correctness as to pattern and design of any jewel or article of clothing that may be worn at a Masonic gathering . In the present review we purpose going more fully

into particulars , but wedo not think we shall beablc to addto the praise which we have already bestowed upon the work and which it so justly deserves .

The Plates are 36 in number , four of these being assigned to the clothing and regalia of the Grand Lodge of England and its Provincial or District and private lodges , six to those of the Grand Lodge of Scotland , and three to those of the Grand

Lodge of Ireland ; while the remaining 23 Plates illustrate those worn by the Grand Orients of the Netherlands ( two Plates ) , Belguim , France , and Italy ; the Grand Lodges of Switzerland ( "A ' pina" ) , Greece , Denmark ( two Plates ) ; the Grand Orient

( extinct ) , St . John ' s Grand Lodge ( extinct ) , and present Grand Lodge of Hungary ( two Plates ) ; sundry of the German Grand Lodges—Three Globes , National Grand , and Royal York of Friendship , in Berlin ; the Eclectic Union , Frankfort-on-Maine ,

and Hamburg—with a representative selection of German lodge jewels ( six Plates ); the Grand Lodge of Norway ( two Plates ); National Grand Orient of Spain ; the Grand Lodge of Sweden and Grand Orient of Portugal , together on one Plate ; and the

Grand Lodge of Egypt ( two Plates ) . The illustrations in this series of Plates are very beautifully drawn and correctly coloured . This much , at least , is the case as regards those relating to the Grand Lodges of the United Kingdom , which have

been taken from patterns very kindly placed at Bro . CROWE ' S disposal for Ihe purposes of this book by the well-known firm of Masonic jewellers , Bro . GEORGE KENNING and SON , of Little Britain and Great Queen-street , London ; and Liverpool , Manchester , and Glasgow ; while , as regards those

Masonic Clothing And Regalia.*

relating to Continental Masonry , Bro . CROWE tells us in the letterpress to Plates I . and II . that they have been " reproduced from original specimens in my own large collection of such articles , with very lew exceptions . " As regards the

descriptive articles which accompanythe Plates and explain the illustrations they severally contain , when we say that the leading particulars concerning bur English clothing and regalia are taken from our Book of Constitutions , while those relating to

the Scottish and [ Irish clothing , are derived from similar or equally authentic sources , and those relating to Continental Masonry from sources which are trustworthy , the reader will feel that he is on safe ground and may unhesitatingly accept the

descriptions which the author has been at such pains in furnishing . Indeed , throughout the whole of his elaborate volume Bro . CROWE shows himself to be a thoroughly competent guide in all that relates to the clothing and regalia pertaining to Craft

Masonry in the United Kingdom and on the Continent , and as he has succeeded so well in the portion of the task he has completed , we trust it will not be long before he extends his labours still further and does for the Craft in America and Australasia

what he has done so admirably for the United Kingdom and Europe . Perhaps , too , he may some day venture still further and enlighten the Masonic public generally on the " symbolism "

—to which he refers in passing in his Preface—of our clothing and regalia , and by so doing extend the numerous claims he has upon our grateful consideration .

The Study Of The Old Charges.

THE STUDY OF THE OLD CHARGES .

In the new edition of his " Old Charges of British Freemasons , " Bro . William James Hughan , introductory to some exceedingly kind comments upon a paper which I contributed to ArsQuatuor Coronatorum ( VII ., 119 ) , and which he was pleased to call "an original and pioneer attempt to fix the true textoi the operative Constitutions , " savs :

Mr . Gould and I have had some interesting correspondence as to the original Text , and likewise as to an arrangement which shall include all the essentials of the various versions according to the relative value of each Tradition , Law , or Charge , based upon the testimony of the Rolls , but we do not consider the time as quite ripe for such a compilation .

Surely no one will question the pre-eminent qualification of Bros . Gould and Hughan to say when the time is ripe ; but I question whether the time has not been brought much nearer by the publication of the Book from which I have quoted . The i 8 g 5 edition not only presents , in a popular way that any tyro

may understand , an accurateaccountof each of the old MSS . ; butbesides presenting many valuable suggestions not to be found elsewhere—it collects in convenient form for the expert , many of the peculiarities of each version , and saves him much of the preliminary drudgery of making memoranda . The publication

of this book , and the fact that all the more important versions of the Old Charges are now within reach of students , seem to me to make the time ripe for a more critical examination of the text than has yet been made . Indeed , while such a variorum edition of the MSS . as Bros . Hughan and Gould seem to have

contemplated might greatly aid such an examination , I believe the critical study referred to is essential as a preliminary to a variorum edition of the -greatest value , and of permanent authority . I do not write in ignorance of the splendid work which Dr . Begemann , Bro . Hughan , and others have already done

in this field ; but hone will be more prompt than they to admit that very much more remains to be done . This is , I think , especially true of the Charges proper , as distinguished from the legendary history ; and I think further study may result in a considerable modification of views now held by the leaders in

this field of investigation . After a minute examination of all the versions , more particularly of the legendary history , I should suppose—for I have not seen his article—Dr . Begemann , in the Zirkel Correspondens presents conclusions which Bro . G . W . Speth translates as follows :

First of all the author of the Cooke MS . compiled , with the help of " Old Bookys of the Chargys , " and the current histories of his time , about 1410 , a History of Misonry ; this was revised and expanded about 1480 into a version which served as a model for the William Watson MS . ; about 1520 or 1530 this was again revised and condensed into a version of which the Tew MS . miy be

considered an example ; this was further revised and portions omitted to give us the version to which the Atoheson-H wen , Buchanan and Beaumont MSS belong ; then came a last revision , which produced the parent form of the majority of the manuscripts known to us , and which belong partly to the Sloane and partly to the Grand Lodge Families : from the first sprang later the Roberts family , and from the second the youngest group of all—the Spencer family . —Ars . Q . C , ix . 2 tt . In these conclusions it will be observed that Dr . Begemann concedes the existence of MS . Charges ( proper ) before the